A Visitor for Bear is a
fiction/animal fantasy picture book written by Bonny Becker
and illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. It tells the
story of a bear who lives alone and does not like visitors,
and a mouse that comes to visit and won’t go away despite
the bear’s insistence that he does not want the mouse in his
house. Finally, the bear lets the mouse stay and the two
become friends. This is an appropriate book for young
students who are beginning to learn about the design process
because the plot is straightforward and presents simple yet
engaging design challenges.
Bear's pretty good at keeping people away. No one ever
visits him, and just in case one does he has a big sign in
front that reads, "NO visitors allowed". Just in case.
Everything is fine and dandy until one day a mouse "small
and gray and bright-eyed" knocks on the door. Bear says in
no uncertain terms that he is not keen on visitors. The
mouse seems to understand, but when Bear attempts to get out
a bowl for himself, there sits the mouse asking for a spot
of tea. After throwing out the unwanted guest Bear tries to
open his bread drawer next, and there again is the mouse! To
Bear's increasing frustration the mouse is absolutely
everywhere, and no amount of stopping or locking keeps him
away. At last, Bear consents to having a bit of tea with the
miniscule visitor and soon discovers that the mouse is
attentive, easily impressed, and laughs at Bear's jokes. And
when it is time for the mouse to go, Bear finds himself
unceremoniously ripping down the "NO visitors allowed" sign.
After all, he says, that is a sign for salesmen. Not for
friends.
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